Thank you so much for the photo tour of 9th street. Your pictures bring back so many memories for me when I was growing up. My father used to take me down to 9th street when he went down to pick up some of his favorites. I remember going into the cheese store and the sausage store with him and just watching. First he would say hello in English and catch up for a minute, with I am assuming, must have been one of his old high school friends. Soon every other word was Italian and then in another minute the English would disappear and it was all in Italian. Although he never taught me Italian, I knew the deal was being made and I would soon be breaking my back carrying out a big box of something really tasty. I remember taking my (now wife) girlfriend from Alabama there and showing her around Dad's old haunts and buying from the street vendors. I think it was a major piece of the Italian charm I laid on her that eventually persuaded her to marry me. I took her to Fanta's to show her the tools she would need to keep me. I still order from Fanta's to this day on-line but the experience is just not the same.

Again, thanks for the photos, seems the place is timeless.

Ron

Ron,

You’re welcome anytime. I am glad the pictures brought back memories for you when you were growing up. It is interesting that you father used to take you to 9th street and you also went to the same businesses. I like the part of your story about your father speaking in Italian and you knowing when the deal was done. There sure were a lot of Italians there yesterday. Good to hear your girlfriend became your wife from the Italian charm you laid on her.

I had never been to the 9th street market before, but think this was once place that has stood the test of time. When we went to park in a lot, we asked if we were right at the 9th st. market and the parking lot attendant said what is left of it. I guess at one time the market was even bigger, but I enjoyed it like it was yesterday.

I haven't been in probably 20 years but your pictures are what I remember, maybe minus a bunch of street carts. The Italian culture is what I miss most about the North but I've found a few Italian communities in the south, New Orleans, and some in Tampa Florida, but nothing like the Neapolitan community in Philadelphia and New Jersey. I currently live in South Alabama where the only Italian influence is in my kitchen, We're known as one of the best dinner invites in the county.

I haven't been in probably 20 years but your pictures are what I remember, maybe minus a bunch of street carts. The Italian culture is what I miss most about the North but I've found a few Italian communities in the south, New Orleans, and some in Tampa Florida, but nothing like the Neapolitan community in Philadelphia and New Jersey. I currently live in South Alabama where the only Italian influence is in my kitchen, We're known as one of the best dinner invites in the county.

Ron

Ron,

I didn’t see any street carts, but there were many vegetable vendors along the one side of 9th. St. If anyone cares to visit 9th St. Italian Market, I think it should be mentioned that all of these businesses I went to aren‘t right on 9th St. Some are off on the side streets about a block away from 9th St. It looked to us that there was some kind of Mexican market the other way on 9th. St. and also some kind of Asian market on another street when we were leaving, but it was getting too warm to try to see what they were. Maybe next time we will visit them. I also purchased a Venus Fly Trap plant. That thing is funny, how it eats stuff.

I can see how you miss the large Italian communities around Philly and in New Jersey. I think South Philly was largely an Italian community years ago. I remember going to South Philly years ago and about all you saw were Italians. That sure has changed now, but in no way did we feel unsafe in either of the South Philly neighborhoods I was in.

I can only imagine what a great Italian cook you are and am sure your do serve the best dinners in your neighborhood. I sure would like to try some of your meals, because I do love Italian foods.

I tried some of the products that I purchased at 9th. St. Italian Market yesterday on two Papa Gino’s pizzas. The fresh mozzarella was very good, the Pancetta was delicious and the homemade pepperoni was delicious eaten plain or baked on a pizza. The homemade pepperoni did taste like Vermont smoked pepperoni and also had the cupping action even when baked in the deck oven. Pictures of the pizzas I used the ingredients on. The grated Parmigiano-Reggiano also was very tasty.

Norma, that was a great presentation of the 9th Street Italian Market and surrounding stores. Your pics did a much better job of presenting the market than their entire website. Bravo!!!

One more question; What's the parking situation? Can you park relatively close to the market in a secured parking lot?

Thanks again for thinking of us here at pizzamaking.com

---pete---

---pete---,

I am glad you liked the pictures of 9th St. Italian Market and surrounding stores. I could have taken a lot more pictures like I posted before, but it takes me too much time to resize and then post them. You really can’t appreciate all the food products, other items and how the atmosphere is until you are there.

The parking is fine, or at least it was for us. We could pay 2.00 for 2 hours, or 5.00 for all day. A parking lot attendant was on duty the whole time we were there. We paid the 5.00 since we didn’t know how long we would be there. We were there about 3 hrs. This is the link for parking at 9th St. Italian Market. http://www.phillyitalianmarket.com/market/9thstreet.htm under maps and directions.

I just made some of the sausage Florentine tonight and it was the best sausage I have ever eaten and I live in homemade sausage country. The sausage just melted in my mouth. My daughter also said it was the best sausage she has ever eaten. I still have the other sausage to try. I will post the picture of the sausage tomorrow. I sure wished I would have purchased more of the sausage to freeze, but will the next time I go to the 9th St. Market.

This was the sausage Florentine (spinach and cheese) from Fiorella’s Sausage that the picture of Fiorella’s Sausage was posted at Reply 14 http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,19792.msg194187.html#msg194187 The Florentine sausage was very flavorful and was the best sausage I have ever eaten. The corn was fresh picked today and was sweet "bread and butter” corn. The corn was also delicious in my opinion.

Thanks for the picture tour of 9th st. They remind me of the Strip District on Penn ave in Pittsburgh, I go there often. Did you ever visit there Norma? My grand dad used to take me and my brothers there for fresh vegies and italian foods early on Sat mornings when we were kids. Penn Mac resides there too.

Thanks for the picture tour of 9th st. They remind me of the Strip District on Penn ave in Pittsburgh, I go there often. Did you ever visit there Norma? My grand dad used to take me and my brothers there for fresh vegies and italian foods early on Sat mornings when we were kids. Penn Mac resides there too.

Frank,

I never visited the Strip District on Penn Ave. in Pittsburgh. I never heard of the Strip District on Penn Ave in Pittsburgh. The closest I have been to Pittsburgh is when I visited Erie, Pa different times and bypassed Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is a pretty long drive for me from where I live. 9th St. Italian Market only took about 1 hr. 20 minutes to get there, but on the way back we hit accidents and a lot of traffic and the time coming back was about 2 ¼ hrs. What kind of Italian foods does the Strip District have? Sounds like you have great memories of the Strip District, which is good.

These are the pictures from the 9th St. Italian Market. I purchased different things today, but some of the things I am looking forward to try are the coffees from Fante’s, the fresh Burrata from Di Bruno Bros and the fresh spinach pasta from Tallato’s.

I also went to Sarcone’s and the Italian Sausage place I went to before, but the Italian Sausage place was closed today and Sarcone’s was out of the pepperoni rolls my daughter and I liked so much before. I also asked the saleslady at Sarcone’s about purchasing some dough balls. She said they were out of them for the day. I had really wanted to try out some dough balls from Sacrone’s. The saleslady told me in the future to preorder before I come to Sacrone’s again.

The little old lady shopping in the one picture has the Texas Pizza Summit t-shirt on. I wonder where she came from.